If you do notice any change in your breasts, see your GP as soon
as possible. Remember that most breast changes are not cancer and
are harmless. When your GP examines your breasts she or he may be
able to reassure you that there is nothing to worry about. If the
change could be connected with your hormones, your GP may ask you
to come back at a different stage in your menstrual cycle. Alternatively,
you may be sent to a breast clinic for a more detailed examination.
Don’t worry that you may be making an unnecessary fuss and
remember that nine out of ten breast lumps are harmless Top
How a diagnosis is made - Triple assessment
Your GP will refer you to a specialist breast clinic in a Hospital
(please see the "specialist breast units" for the list in Ireland) if he has any concern
about your symptoms. For example if you have a lump in your breast.
At the Hospital, you may have triple assessment. This involves doing some tests to
help diagnose your breast complaint. Triple assessment is the name for this; it uses three ways used
to assess your breasts. It starts with the Doctor taking a medical history or list of any
health problems you have had in the past and then examining your breasts and
underarms.
Next you may be sent on to the X-ray department for the next step which may be a mammogram (x"ray of the breast) or an Ultrasound scan or both and finally a biopsy which may be a Fine needle test or core biopsy.
If you do not have a lump you may not need full triple assessment.
Did you know
Early diagnosis is a key to surviving breast cancer.
More than 1,700 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in
Ireland each year.
Irish women have a 1 in 13 chance of developing breast cancer
in their lifetime.
74% of Irish women with breast cancer discovered the lump themselves.
Only about five to ten per cent of breast cancers are believed
to have a family link.
The risk of developing breast cancer increases with age. Approximately
80% of breast cancers occur in women over 50 years.
Around 16 men develop breast cancer in Ireland each year. Top
